In-game rewards have become one of the most intriguing elements of gaming over the last decade. And it’s quite interesting to see how the gaming industry has adjusted to certain ideas becoming a bit worn out and overdeveloped.
Instead of simply trying to flood the market with consistently similar ideas, developers have moved toward other innovations, such as in-game rewards, alternate payment methods, and highly creative variations of classic ideas — some with greater success than others.
However, a wide range of ideas has proven fruitful even within the ecosystem of in-game rewards. There is a raft of new bonuses and promotions to get up to speed with — so let’s dive in and see which in-game rewards have turned out to be some of the best ideas from the gaming world over the last decade or so.
Finding a Niche in a Highly Competitive Market
There’s no denying: there’s a market for people who want to access in-game rewards. We’ve seen successful rollouts of these ideas throughout the gaming industry. Still, it becomes clear in a highly competitive niche, such as the slot gaming sector in casino gaming.
While slot gaming has many different terms, including those from Down Under who call it pokies, that doesn’t mean that the game’s fabric has to go through any serious amendments. In fact, the slots, or pokies market, has become such a popular avenue for gaming because of the game’s universal appeal.
It doesn’t matter if you are accessing a different type of prize or focusing on in-game rewards; the market is vast enough that you will not struggle to find a game with in-game rewards within the vastness of the casino gaming universe.
For those adept at playing pokies online, you won’t need us to tell you about the sheer scope of in-game rewards that are out there. But before we dive into the volume and variation, we must first explore the reason behind their success and why they continue to be so popular.
What’s the Purpose of In-game Rewards?
It’s a fair question, isn’t it? Part of the main attraction of casino gaming is the opportunity to win cash, place real money wagers, and the thrill that can come from the back and forth of a casino game. However, it’s a global market; it spans cultures, time zones, and plenty of classic games have their own variations, depending on where you find yourself in the world.
Therefore, there are more nuances — and this is where in-game rewards shine. For instance, in-game rewards and sweepstakes casinos have become a hit in parts of the US and Canada where traditional forms of gambling are not permitted.
Other casino gamers prefer to play a game without worrying about parting with their hard-earned cash, so in-game rewards take on an entirely new meaning in this context.
It’s about available options — and in a market that continues to grow into new territory, whether from a game development perspective or through the lens of sheer profit, there will be no shortage of innovators looking to get their hands on some of that action.
We’ve noticed it with the rise of AI and VR gaming, which have both been incorporated into sites that opt for in-game rewards. Huge markets like California, Texas, and large parts of Asia still don’t allow conventional gambling — so this has provided an enormous opportunity for in-game rewards to develop as a genuinely new way for people to be rewarded when they game online.
Responsible Gambling
Another reason in-game rewards have gained such traction is that they remove the financial aspects of traditional gambling. Gamers can use in-game tokens with no intrinsic monetary value, and don’t have to worry about issues that stem from problem gambling.
Now, this doesn’t mean you should sit around playing casino games all day because you receive in-game rewards rather than cash, but it does help to take the sting out of the more harmful elements that can emerge from casino gaming. If you believe you are developing an issue, or you know somebody who has a problem with their gambling, seek out help and advice from a healthcare professional or a charity such as Gamblers Anonymous.
Prominent Examples of In-game Rewards
In-game rewards replace traditional forms of payment in many areas of casino gaming. The most common types you will encounter include gold coins and specific on-site currencies, which might include the brand’s name. Crucially, you cannot take these in-game currencies and rewards off-site, which is what differentiates them from traditional cash prizes.
While this definition primarily refers to casino gaming, there are many other in-game rewards to unlock in the broader gaming industry. For instance, point reward systems, which measure the regularity or consistency with which somebody plays a game, can also lead to in-game rewards.
Multiplayer games with large fan bases — such as Fortnite, CS:GO, and the Call of Duty franchise — often use in-game items like character skins to appeal to fans. CS:GO has made weapon skins incredibly exclusive to the point where gamers will make money selling them to other players.
Although it is a more pressing argument in the workplace, where the idea of rewards replacing money can be a touchy subject, developers and designers have much more flexibility in gaming to explore.
The point reward system could also work toward a prize. For instance, you can receive shopping vouchers, e-vouchers, or other prizes once you hit a specific number of rewards or points. In casino gaming, it might be in the form of free gold coins to use on a slot machine.
In video console gaming, this could be an unlockable new level or attire for your character, or even unlock the game’s next stage. There are many faces of in-game rewards, and the market continues to grow alongside the demand.
Final Thoughts
As long as there is a market for in-game rewards, game designers and developers will continue to search for new possibilities within this ecosystem. They have proven to be a hit in video console gaming, casino gaming, and free-to-play mobile games. As with any sector in gaming, the demand props up the market and fuels innovation.
It might seem like the potential for in-game rewards is a thinning market, with almost every possible angle explored. But if the gaming industry has shown us anything over the last 20 years, it’s this: it knows how to adapt and keep up with increasing consumer demands for innovation.